My past two blog posts have been about prayer, particularly, praying in general. I was going to move on to a different topic all together until I came across another individual’s blog on the topic (Pretty good read. Check it out: https://themirific.co/2015/05/20/stagnant-christians-stagnant-enemies/ ). In this post, the author wrote about praying for our enemies. Yes, it is true, Jesus challenges and instructs us to pray for our enemies. But have you ever wondered what those prayers should look like? If I were to be completely transparent when it came to praying for my enemies, I would say that I preferred some of the move Davidic prayers found in the Psalms such as, “slap all my enemies in the face” or “shatter the teeth of the wicked,” (Psalm 3, NLT). Those prayers speak to the core of my anger when I am hurt by my enemies. I also figured, if it worked for David, it should work just fine for me.

While I slightly kid, I must say that the question of praying for my enemies did resonate with me this morning. I discussed the issue with my uncle, and he provided some insight which I will share with you:

Our earthly battles all seem to come back to Ephesians 6:12, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities.” In the Old Testament, David was waging war for a physical kingdom. The sacrifices made in his day were physical in nature. Today, we waging war for a spiritual kingdom. Circumcisions in the Old Testament were physical, while today they are spiritual. When we say those Davidic prayer, they should be prayed against the spirituals that dwell in the individuals, not against the individuals themselves. When we truly understand that we are in spiritual warfare versus physical warfare, then we would realize that we should be praying for the deliverance of our enemies from the captivity of the evil one. In the most rudimentary sense, the individuals who commit acts of evil are merely host to principalities. Now, this does not completely absolve individuals of responsibly under the notion of the devil made me do it, for we all have free will. However, it does allow for compassion towards our enemies. For whatever reason, their free will has sent them down a path that has created a stronghold in their lives. As we all know, bad habits are hard to break, and so are strongholds. That is why we need to pray for our enemies. We need to pray for their deliverance. Notice that when Jesus prayed, he always prayed for others to be delivered from their infirmities. Oftentimes, their blessings were found in the deliverance.

This whole topic of prayer brought me back to a previous blog where I begged the question: “How different would our world be if we simply prayed for things that weren’t already being prayed for?” Imagine if we got to heaven and God told us that we could have dramatically changed the world, but we didn’t because those prayers were never released. Would that knowledge change how we prayed today? For me, one of the biggest frustrations, and even hesitations, with prayer is that I don’t always see the results of my prayers. Sometimes, I feel as though God hasn’t heard me or that He is slow to act. The Bible reminds us that, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient…” (2 Peter 3:9, NIV). We have to remember that God is sovereign and that He might not answer our prayers in the manner and time we want, but He has His reasons for His approach.

Today, I challenge all of us to put on the armor of God: the belt of truth, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:12). Let us pray for our world, our government, our enemies, our families and friends and ourselves. Included below is a prayer of protection over our family and friends:

Today, Lord I pray an anointing over myself and my family. I pray a hedge of protection around us. I pray that the enemy and his allies would not be allowed to penetrate this fence, and that the gates surrounding the hedges are locked and sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ. I pray that angels will be dispatched to the four corners of this fence and that they will protect and defend us from all attacks. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Lately, I’ve found that the first thing I do after waking up and the last thing I do before going to bed is to read the news. It’s actually gotten pretty depressing. The typical news story portrays the world as one that has gone to hell in a hand basket. Stories of savagery and inhumanity are ubiquitous. Murder, rape, and pillaging are some of the most common headlines. The sensationalism is beyond the categorical scope of yellow journalism. The story contents are vile and the commentaries are even more viscous. This morning, as I attempted to scroll the Internet for my daily dose of news happenings, a small, still voice told me to stop.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life,” (NLT). In this visual age, our world has become inundated by sensory images, and unfortunately, most of the tactics have been subliminal. Everything and everyone is vying for our attention. We have to be cognizant of the information that we filter through our eyes, our hearts and our minds because what we allow to resonate in those places often shape our emotions and our actions. While it is important that we keep abreast of current events, it is critical that we filter out the hysteria and the nonsense. The seeds that we water will be the one that will take life and grow. If we plant seeds of negativity and despair, then our days and our lives will be filled with doubt and turmoil. If we plant seed of hope, then our lives will be fruitful and productive. So, during these days of fake news, political turmoil, and civil unrest, let’s take heart that goodness still exists. God still sits on the throne. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The promises that God made yesteryear are still relevant today. Filter out the negativity and embrace the promises.

Go ahead! Quit your job! Purchase that house! Tell your pesky neighbor where to stop off. For goodness sakes, make a decision. Take a leap of faith! What’s the worse thing that could happen? I say all this in jest. Yes, we must exercise wisdom and caution when making decisions, especially life altering ones, but far too many of us seek other people’s permission to chase after our hearts. Our paralysis is symptomatic of our indecisiveness and our insecurity. We ask for permission because we are fearful of pulling the trigger. We believe that if we place the onus of making a decision on someone else, it absolves us of the responsibility. Here’s the truth: Every decision has consequences—some good and some bad. Unfortunately, sometimes, we just cannot avoid the negative consequences of our actions. It’s a part of life in this fallen world. The good news is that many successes are birthed from misfortunes. Failure is a part of life. It’s a part of growth. When we ask others for their permission before we act, we are relying on their gifting, perception of life and past experiences, which may be different from ours. Additionally, we make the assumption that the people from whom we seek permission have our best interest in mind. Those individuals could have a malevolent agenda. The Bible says that it is wise to seek counsel. It does say that we should ask permission. Next time, before we ask people for permission, we should seek God and His Word. Why wouldn’t we ask the author of our story about our role in His script. The next time we attempt to seek advise on a course of action, we should pause and ask ourselves whether we are seeking counsel or whether we are asking for permission. If we are asking for permission, then we should go to God instead.

Today’s entry is called Just Dance, but I could have very well titled it Just Sing. My recommendations for today is to crank up the dial on the radio or the iPod and scream at the top of your lungs. Gyrate your hips as if no one is looking. The idea is to cut loose—be foot loose and fancy free. Have some fun. It’s so easy to get caught up in the everyday drudgery. Between work, school, bills, spouses, children and other responsibilities we have forgotten how to have fun and not take life too serious. Even King David took time to cut a rug. The Bible says that David danced for the Lord with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14). Just dance! Just sing! Just be!

The theory that it takes 21 days to create a new habit has been debunked over the years. New research has suggested that the time it takes to create a new habit could vary between individuals. Additionally, changing a habit also varies in the duration of time it takes to fully adopt a new behavior. However, I do believe that there is some merit to the 21 days. The time frame is short enough to not be daunting and long enough to be impactful. So, with that said, we are going to go all in for the next 21 days on a path to self discovery and reinvention.
Day 1: Weep It Out

There is nothing like a good cry. Right? You know the type I’m talking about—the ugly cry—the one where you snort spastically because you can hardly catch your breath and your nose and eyes leak like faucets and muddle your face with a sludge of mucous and tears. Even Jesus did the ugly cry. John 11:35 said that Jesus wept. The verse did not say that he cried; it said that he wept, implying an expression of deep sorrow. Bawling is cathartic! It raw! Most of all, it’s honest. For many of us, the ugly cry is our first step in acknowledging our vulnerability and/or our humanity in particular areas of our lives. Weeping is a release of toxicity—pent up emotions. It’s an opportunity to face our demons head on. How can we expect to fight what we don’t see.

Our inclination to cry out is not just an expected manifestation of our humanity; it is commandment, not to be confused with the Ten Commandment. The Bible tells us to cry out to God. Sometimes, if we are not careful, we could tend to minimize the word ‘cry’ and use it interchangeable with the word ‘call.’ Crying out to God does not equal calling on Him. The former implies a sense of desperation and urgency. There are times when we have to be completely undignified in expressions—let it all hang out.

The good news is that our cries never fall upon deaf ears. Psalm 18:6 says, “In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears,” (NIV).

So, tonight, let it all out. This blog post is the permission that you need to let it all hang loose. Weep. Sob. Ugly cry. Let it go. Psalm 30:5 says, “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning,” (NLT).

For the past few weeks, I have been itching to write a series. In the past, I have written several, but recently I have not been able to find the time to commit to writing one. However, the topic, “I am not a Slave,” has been resting on my heart for some time. So, tonight, I figured I would give it a go.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery,” (Galatians 5:1, NIV). In our fallen world, there are so many things in our lives that have come to take us captive. War is constantly being waged against our freedom. Fear, regret, pain, poverty, past failures or world systems are just a few of the strategies that the enemy employs to attempt to reel us into slavery. Today, we will highlight one of the greatest enemies of freedom: The tongue.

“The tongue can bring death or life” (Proverbs 18:21, NLT). In the beginning of time, God said, “Let there be light,” and so it was. In just a few words, God spoke life into existence. I believe that much our lives’ path is determined by the words we speak over ourselves. Unfortunately, the perils of life have caused many of us to have suffered temporary, spiritually blindness and spiritual amnesia, which have manifested in our speech. Our declarations have become influenced by our past and current circumstances. We forget that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). We forget that the same God who delivered us from the valley of the shadow of death yesterday is the same God who, today, declares Jeremiah 29:11 over our lives: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,’” (NIV). In our amnesia and blindness, we have a tendency to decree failure over ourselves. This altered state also allows us to tolerate the actions of those who speak words of destruction over our lives. Unfortunately, we fail to realize that our negative words have the power to prophesy a yoke of bondage and slavery over our lives and our future.

Today, I decree that we are not slaves to our tongues. We should recognize that our words are powerful. They can shape how we, and others, respond to the world around us. Our words can build up or they can tear down. Today, I ask that we use foundational words that can positively impact our lives and the lives of generations to come.

Today, I pose a few hypothetical questions. What if when we get to heaven we realize just how literal God was when he said, in Genesis, that He had given man dominion over the Earth? What if when we get to heaven we realize just how many of our life outcomes were under the control of our prayers and our tongues? What if we realize that our lives and the lives of others could have been dramatically changed by a simple declaration of our faith? Would we do things differently now? Would we declare more things in the name of Jesus? We do know that nothing happens outside of God’s will, but what if much of our lack (e.g. spiritual, physical, emotional and financial) is due to a failure to ask—a failure to make a bold declaration? What if many of our prayers confused begging for asking with belief (i.e. faith)? I don’t recall the woman at the well begging Jesus to heal her. She simply touched Him, and she knew that she was healed. In fact, Jesus told her that her faith had made her well. How about we hedge our bets here on Earth and start declaring things that be not as though they were. What do we have to lose?

For the past few evenings, God has been nudging my heart to read the Book of Job. If you’ve ever read the Book of Job, then you know exactly why I wasn’t jumping at the bit to read it. It’s not the most cheery book in the Bible. However, tonight, I decided to hunker down and sludge through the 42 chapters. After all, it was only 20 pages in my Bible. I grabbed my Bible; snuggled under my covers and I began to read. I never made it past the first chapter.

After just a few verses, I found myself angry with God, even doubting him. The fact that God had allowed Satan to test Job was counterintuitive to me. I was especially mad at the fact that God was even talking to Satan. After all, the Bible said that God detested evil and stayed far from the proud and the wicked. Well, Satan is definitely the embodiment of all things wicked and evil. So, why was God even chatting with Satan?

As I was having my existential breakdown, I contemplated whether my questions grieved the Holy Spirit. Surely, I could have skimmed past the verses that didn’t make sense to me and pretended that my uncertainty didn’t bother me. But what sense did that make? God knew my heart, so, there was no point of even pretending. Additionally, my Type A personality couldn’t allow me to move forward. As strange, or as wrong, as it may have been, God needed to make sense to me. At the very least, His existence had to be consistent with who He says that He is because, at first glance, my image of God in the first chapter of Job, seemed anything but consistent with who the Bible says that God is.

In an effort to better understand the first chapter of Job, I meditated on the words found in Job 1:6: “One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them,” (NLT). I asked God for revelation. I earnestly wanted to understand the chapter. Moreover, I earnestly wanted to understand God’s character. Like Solomon, I prayed for wisdom, and God gave the following revelation:

According to Job 1:6, the members of the heavenly court, or angels, came and presented themselves before God, and the Accuser, Satan came with them. The phrase “presented themselves before God” seemed to suggest that the angels, including Satan, had to give an account to God for their activities/actions. Perhaps they were going before God for judgment. There are several passages in the Bible that corroborate the notion that even angels are subject to judgment. For example, in the New Testament, Paul stated that believers should exercise good judgment when attempting to resolve secular disputes as there will come a time when believers will not only judge the world, but they will also judge angels as well (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). As a sidebar, I must note that the translation of the Greek word for judge is krino, which also means to rule or govern. I digress. Another example that indicates that angels are also subject to God’s judgment is 2 Peter 2:4. The passage reads: “For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment,” (NLT). Even Jude, the half bother of Jesus, weighed in on the topic by saying, “And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment,” (Jude 1:6, NLT).

The above passages support the notion that Satan presented to God in the book of Job, not as a peer or comrade, but as one who is subject to God’s authority. In Job 1:7, God asks Satan, “Where have you come from?” The question required Satan to give an account for his actions. This is similar to when God asked Adam, “Where are you,” (Genesis 3:9, NLT)? Considering that God is omniscient and omnipotent, we could conclude that God knew the answer in both cases. In both examples, God was not interested in unearthing the truth. He was exposing their pride. Proverbs 16:5 says, “The Lord detests the proud: they will surely be punished,” (NLT). When God asked Satan about Job, God knew the status of Satan’s heart and that Satan had already set his sights on Job. In fact, when God brought up Job’s name, Satan didn’t even flinch or pause. He immediately knew exactly who God was talking about. When God mentioned Job, Satan must have been ecstatic because he thought that he had finally found God’s Achilles’ heel.

As Satan roamed the Earthy, he must have noticed how the angels, who are at God’s command, fawned over Job. In fact, in his accusation against God, Satan said, “… Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face,” (Job 1:10-11, NLT)!

In allowing Job to be tested, God was exposing Satan’s pride. He knew that Job was indeed faithful and that Job would not be tested beyond his limit. Scripture tells us that God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we could bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).

As I attempted to conclude my studies, my reading took me back to Jude. Verse nine was of particular interest. It read: “But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you,” (NIV)! The verse reminded me that judgment belongs to God and God alone. To further understand the verse, I went on a quest to find out more about the archangel Michael. My search brought me to Daniel 10.

In Daniel 10, the prophet Daniel had been praying and fasting to God for an answer to a vision that he had been given. After 21 days, an angel appeared to Daniel and advised him that that the answers that he sought had been delayed because he, the angel, had been held up by a spiritual battle that both he and Michael were still involved in. The angel replied, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince,” (Daniel 10:20-21, NIV).

Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” (KJV). Both the verses in Daniel and Ephesians remind us that there are things of this world that we do not understand and cannot explain. There are battles and wars being wages in the spiritual realm that are beyond the scope of our comprehension.

In the Book of Job, Job’s spirit waned. He eventually questioned God about the calamity he faced. God’s answer was similar to the conclusion that we just drew. There are things of this Earth that are simply inexplicable. We just have to trust God and stand on his word. “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires,” (Hebrews 4:12, NLT). Like Daniel, we should take comfort in knowing that Word of God has power to break strongholds. According to 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds,” (NIV).

Seldom do I use my blog as a platform to jump on my soapbox. Typically, I try to inspire. However, there are times when I also try to provoke thought by presenting an alternative point of view.

A few nights ago, I watched a story on the local, evening news about a robbery and a possible assault in an upscale neighborhood. Both the neighbors AND the reporter were incensed, and even offended, that crime had infiltrated, what the reporter described as a “swanky” community. I found the coverage and commentary perplexing, and frankly, a bit scary. It is asinine, and prideful, that people should expect, and in some cases, desire that crime be marginalized to neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic statuses. There is no community that is impenetrable to crime. There is no community that exists in isolation. In fact, isolationism is the antithesis of personal security and safety, and it typically stems from the most degenerative human vices: pride, greed and hate.

Pride and greed tell us that we can never have enough and that only we alone deserve to have it all. The concept of “survival of the fittest” may work in the animal kingdom, but it is not beneficial for human communities. Here is the problem. When we create skewed supply and demand systems, where only a few are equipped to succeed, we create marginalization. Marginalization oftentimes creates desperation. When people are backed into a corner, and their propensity for success is truncated, they often resort to crime. When we create communities where destitution and desperation is prevalent, we do not get to retreat to our ivory towers, throw up the moat and hope that the insurgents relent. Behaviors and mindsets that are being bred and developed in the adjacent communities will infiltrate.

There are those who will argue that each person is responsible for his or her action and that destiny is determined by an individual’s choice. I would argue that while that argument might be true to some extent, such conjecture is a fallacy. Again, we do not live in isolation. To make the argument of “to each his own” is try to absolve ourselves of our social responsibilities. In society, and in communities, we have a responsibility to more that just our families and ourselves.

I recently read an article about the push to end the free-lunch program. It reminded me of how short-sighted we can sometime be. Oftentimes, budget cuts are targeted at programs that support those who have the biggest need and the smallest voice. I would venture to guess that many of the decision makers are probably far-removed from the desperation that many program recipients face. Here is the honest truth. There will always be those who try to beat the system and slip through the cracks. Cheaters will always exist, and yes, we should have efficient checks and balances in place. However, do we punish those in need for the actions of a few? If the answer of societal obligation is not appealing, then self preservation might strike a cord. When people in these “swanky” communities invests in individuals from disenfranchised communities, crime actually decreases because people then feel as though they have options. When individuals’ options are increased, so is their sense of purpose. When people have viable options, and they have something to live for and to look forward to, they are less likely to jeopardize that by committing crimes. The problem is there are people in our culture that have a pauper’s mentality. They believe that supplies are limited and if shared, might cut into their portion. There are also those who have an even more sinister mentality. Their mentality is one of hatred, which is reflected in their actions. Both of those mentalities have excluded the grace and goodness of God. According to Jeremiah 29:11, God stated that he has a plan to give us hope and a future. God’s plan to prosper us asserts that heaven’s supplies are not limited and are not governed by scarcity.

Ultimately, as earthly cohabitants, we all have a responsibility to take care of each other. If nothing else, at the VERY LEAST, we have a responsibility to ourselves and to our families. Who know, by investing in others, we could very well end up sparing ourselves and our families from being accosted by the career criminal who dropped out of primary school because he couldn’t concentration on his lesson due to hunger-induced confusion. We never know. Life is filled with very many ironies!